The World's Steepest Roller Coasters

When You Can't See the Bottom

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The world's fastest coasters or the world's tallest coasters make perfect sense as rides for a huge adrenalin rush. What thrill-seekers wouldn't want to tackle insane speeds or extreme heights, attributes that are intrinsic to these venerable rides? But coasters with drops that are beyond 90 degrees? What's the point?

After all, roller coasters with inversions such as loops or corkscrews have been sending riders careening head over heels into full 360-degree acrobatic maneuvers for years. Still, there's something wild about cresting a coaster hill and not being able to see the bottom of the steeper-than-freefall drop. And it can be weird and wonderful to experience the drop with the front of the train angling inward as it barrels down the hill.

So which coasters are the steepest, meaning the angle of descent of the rides' primary drops? Here's the count down in reverse order to the steepest roller coasters.

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No. 10 (tie): Maverick at 95 Degrees

It's not anywhere near the tallest coaster at coaster-crazy Cedar Point. And it's not the fastest. But Maverick might be the best. With its multiple launches, unique car design, silky smooth ride, and 95-degree drop, Maverick has a lot of compelling features and is incredibly fun.

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No.10 (tie): Mystery Mine at 95 Degrees

Many of the contenders on the steepest coaster list, including Mystery Mine, are "Euro-Fighter" models from the ride manufacturer, Gerstlauer. The rides generally feature large, single-car trains (Mystery Mine's cars have two rows and seat eight passengers), climb 90 degrees up a top hat tower and soar down the other side of the tower at a vertical angle of descent greater than 90 degrees, in this case, 95 degrees. What makes Mystery Mine unique is that it is a themed ride and part of the action takes place indoors.

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No. 10 (tie): Dare Devil Dive and Krater at 95 Degrees

Another Euro-Fighter coaster, Dare Devil Dive is a bit taller and faster than Mystery Mine at Dollywood. Helping to make its beyond-vertical, 95-degree drop a bit more freaky, the trains on Dare Devil Dive pause for a few agonizing moments at the top of the lift hill and let passengers contemplate the wackiness that is about to befall them.

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No. 9 (tie): Untamed at 97 Degrees

••• Canobielakepark/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

Canobie Lake Park, Salem, New Hampshire

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 72 feet

Top speed: 43.5 mph

A smaller version of the standard model, Untamed is known as a compact Euro-Fighter. It does not include the themed elements that Dollywood's Mystery Mine offers, but it does feature three inversions, including an Immelmann and a Zero-G Roll, and, of course, a beyond-vertical drop (in this case, 97 degrees).

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No. 9 (tie): Fahrenheit at 97 Degrees

One of the non-Euro-Fighter models on the steepest coasters list, Fahrenheit (as in 97 degrees Fahrenheit) nonetheless features a vertical lift and, of course, a 97-degree drop. The seats are arranged stadium-style, the better to give all riders a clear view of crazy elements such as a 107-foot inverted loop and an inverted corkscrew roll.

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No. 9 (tie): Vild-Svinet at 97 Degrees

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BonBon-Land, Holme-Olstrup, Sjælland, Denmark

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 72 feet

Top speed: 45 mph

Like many of the other Euro-Fighters on the steepest coasters list, Vild-Svinet climbs a moderate height (72 feet), reaches a middling (in coaster terms) speed (45 mph), and has a beyond-vertical 97-degree drop. It also includes some camel-back hills for brief bursts of airtime. By the way, "Vild-Svinet" is Danish for "wild boar."

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Number 9 (tie): Typhoon at 97 Degrees

••• Michael Welsing/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0

Bobbejaanland, Lichtaart, Antwerp, Belgium

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 84 feet

Top speed: 50 mph

One of the larger Euro-Fighter coasters, Typhoon climbs higher, goes faster, and lasts longer (a full 1:30, compared to the 1-minute duration of some of the other rides) than many of its counterparts at other parks. Its double heartline roll and other elements exert a strong 5G-dose of positive g-forces.

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No. 9 (tie): Speed: No Limits at 97 Degrees

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Oakwood Theme Park, Narberth, UK

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 115 feet

Top speed: 59 mph

An even bigger Euro-Fighter model than Typhoon, Speed: No Limits reaches a fairly lofty 115 feet and tops out at an almost blistering 59 mph.

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No. 9 (tie): Rage at 97 Degrees

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Adventure Island, Southend-On-Sea, UK

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 72 feet

Top speed: 43 mph

One of the compact Euro-Fighters, Rage is almost half the size of some of the larger coasters on the list. It "only" climbs 72 feet and reaches a "mere" 43 mph (which may not sound like much, but barreling down a 97-degree coaster drop, 43 mph can be quite exhilarating).

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No. 9 (tie): Huracan at 97 Degrees

••• Courtesy of Belantis

Belantis, Leipzig, Germany

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 105 feet

Top speed: 53 mph

A custom-built and relatively large Euro-Fighter model, Huracan climbs and drops more than 100 feet, reaches a maximum speed of 53 mph as it races down its 97-degree drop, and lasts 1:30. Among its somewhat unique elements, the ride features interlocking corkscrews.

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No. 9 (tie): Fluch von Novgorod at 97 Degrees

••• Courtesy of Gerstlauer Amusement Rides GmbH/Wikimedia Commons

Hansa Park, Sierksdorf, Germany

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 131 feet

Top speed: 62 mph

Possibly the fastest Euro-Fighter coaster at the time it was built in 2009, Fluch von Novgorod (which means "curse of Novgorod," a city in Russia) is also unique in that it is a launched coaster that uses LSM motors to catapult its trains from 0 to 62 mph in 1.4 seconds. Like Mystery Mine at Dollywood, Fluch von Novgorod also features indoor ride buildings and a themed story (presumably about the odd-sounding Russian curse).

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No. 9 (tie): Falcon, Eurofighter, Predator, and Serpent at 97 Degrees

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Duinrell, Wassenaar, Netherlands

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 72 feet

Top speed: 43 mph

Another compact Euro-Fighter, Falcon is apparently an off-the-shelf production model that shares the same specs as a number of other coasters. Like the other rides, the coaster includes an Immelmann roll and zero-G roll among its elements.

Other 97-degree-drop coasters are Serpent at Parc Sinbad in Casablanca, Morocco, Predator at IMG Worlds of Adventure in Dubai, UAE, and Eurofighter at Zoosafari Fasanolandia in Fasano, Italy.

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No. 8: Saw-The Ride at 100 Degrees

••• Courtesy of Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park, Chertsey, UK

Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 100 feet

Top speed: 55 mph

The custom Euro-Fighter is themed to the grisly "Saw" movies. In addition to the usual coaster mayhem, there are some set pieces, including rotating saw blades, to enlarge on the tone.

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No. 7: Monster at 101 Degrees

Monster was manufactured by the same company that builds the Euro-Fighter coasters, but it is a different model. Unlike most of the Euro-Fighters, the Adventureland ride reaches a robust 65 mph and includes five inversions.

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No. 6: Steel Hawg at 111 Degrees

••• Patrick McGarvey/Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0

Indiana Beach, Monticello, Indiana

Steel coaster

Height: 96 feet

Top speed: 41 mph

Another one of the few non-Euro-Fighter models on the steepest coaster countdown, Steel Hawg also uses single-car trains (with a total of four passengers). Unlike many of the other coasters on this list, Steel Hawg incorporates Wild Mouse-style hairpin turns to amp up the thrills.

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No. 5: Mumbo Jumbo at 112 Degrees

••• Courtesy of Flamingo Land

Flamingo Land, Malton, UK

Steel coaster

Height: 98 feet

Similar to Steel Hawg and made by the same manufacturer, Mumbo Jumbo climbs about as high, goes about as fast, and is not a Euro-Fighter. It also shuttles back and forth in a compact space and features Wild Mouse-like hairpin turns.

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No. 4: Timber Drop at 113 Degrees

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Fraispertuis City, France

Steel coaster

Height: 59 feet

Top speed: 41 mph

Another ride from the manufacturer of Steel Hawg and Mumbo Jumbo, Timber Drop features similar specs and offers a similar ride.

No. 3: Cannibal at 116 Degrees

Opened in 2015, Cannibal features an enclosed, vertical lift hill and an incredibly steep 116-degree drop. It is one of the highlights at Lagoon.

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No. 2: Crazy Bird at 120 Degrees

••• Courtesy of Theme Park Review

Happy Valley, Tianjin, China

El Loco-style coaster

Height: 98 feet

One of the world's steepest coasters is inside an indoor theme park in China. In addition to its beyond-90-degree drop, Crazy Bird includes two inversions: a dive loop, and an in-line twist.

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No. 1 (tie): Green Lantern at 121 Degrees

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Warner Bros. Movie World, Queensland, Australia

Steel coaster

Top speed: 41 mph

This is an "El Loco" model, similar to Mumbo Jumbo, although Green Lantern is a bit steeper. There are conflicting reports about the actual angle of descent, with numbers ranging from 120 degrees to more than 122 degrees.

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No. 1 (tie): Takabisha at 121 Degrees

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Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Japan

Launched Euro-Fighter coaster

Height: 141 feet

Top speed: 62 mph

A custom Euro-Fighter, Takabisha is a launched coaster. Instead of using a traditional lift hill, it uses magnetic launch motors to blast its cars from 0 to 62 mph in 2 seconds. In addition to holding the record for the highest angle of descent, a crazy 121 degrees, the coaster also offers seven inversions and a nearly 2-minute ride.